Healing from the Outside In

Healing from the Outside In

When you have a cut on our finger, or any other kind of wound, the body will heal from the inside out. In recovery for an addiction, the addiction has to be addressed first, before you can begin to heal other issues like a dual diagnosis. Without getting an addiction under control you may not be able to get to the core of whatever you may be trying to escape, or can’t bear.

After you have been through detox and enter a rehab, the work of healing can begin. You’ll discover things about yourself when you go to group therapy. You’ll be educated about addictions. The opportunity for one on one counseling will also begin the process of healing. Rehab takes time and requires your willingness and commitment to do the challenging work ahead.

Your therapist or addiction counselor will begin their work slowly, from the outside in. If they plunged right into the core of your pain, it could be too hard to handle. You can think of yourself as an onion. If you slice the onion right through, all of it will be exposed. Furthermore, therapists need to get to know the person they are treating first. They need to build communication with you and most important, earn your trust.

The work done with your counselor at the rehab should help a great deal and get you headed in the right direction for your particular addiction recovery track. When you are discharged your aftercare plan will include working with another therapist.

Once trust is established, between you and your new therapist, you will begin peeling back a little bit more of the onion skin. You have different layers and parts of your personality that enabled you to stay alive and to function as best as you could, given your particular circumstances.

The therapeutic process of learning about the parts is called Internal Family Systems (IFS). Your new therapist may or may use IFS, but understanding how and why your parts take on certain behaviors may be helpful. In particular, the Firefighters in IFS act out to protect you from the Exiles who hold rage, fear and terror. Firefighters are the one who are vulnerable to an addiction because they don’t want to feel what the Exiles feel.

“What progress, you ask, have I made? I have begun to be a friend to myself.” – Hecato

Don’t beat yourself up about an addiction. Treat yourself with love and care. Infinity Malibu offers proven techniques for addiction treatment. We also use holistic therapies such as yoga, mindfulness meditation, and equine therapy. Make that call for self compassion today! 888-266-9048